Lower Frequency of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Spondyloarthritis patients Taking TNF-Inhibitors

Study Objectives: Sleep disturbances, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), commonly limit function and quality of life in people with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Systemic infl ammation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of both OSA and SpA, and suppression of infl ammation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) inhibitors may decrease OSA severity. In this study, we compared the frequency of OSA in patients receiving and not receiving TNF-inhibitor therapy. Methods: Data were collected from 63 consecutively screened veterans with SpA. Participant interviews, examinations, chart reviews, and referrals to the Salt Lake City Veteran Affairs (SLCVA) Sleep Center were used to obtain demographic data, comorbidities, SpA features, therapy data, and sleep study outcomes. Results: OSA occurred in 76% of SpA patients. OSA was less common in patients receiving TNF-inhibitor therapy (57%), compared to patients not receiving TNF-inhibitor therapy (91%) (p = 0.01). Conclusions: OSA is underrecognized in veterans with SpA, and TNF-inhibition was associated with a lower frequency of OSA.